Climate alarmist Greta Thunberg's 'arrest' at anti-labor protest exposed as media stunt, widely ridiculed



Images of climate alarmist Greta Thunberg's supposed arrest by German police circulated widely after the Tuesday incident, prompting some to contemplate her apparent bravery in the face of statist force.

Raw footage of the incident and additional scrutiny have together revealed that the 20-year-old Swedish activist, like her actor father, has a knack for the theatrical. Not only was Thunberg's arrest reportedly staged, it wasn't an arrest at all.

What's the background?

Climate alarmists flocked to a condemned western German village Tuesday for an anti-labor protest, denouncing a job-creating coal mine expansion.

Hamstrung by domestic anti-oil policies and unable to count on renewables, Europe ended up overly reliant on Russian energy. As Russia began to cut off the continent during its war on Ukraine, countries like Germany — which previously obtained roughly 30% of its supply from Russia — were forced to return to using coal.

While climate alarmism had a hand in driving Germany's desperate need for coal, Thunberg and others nevertheless voiced their opposition to the demolition of the abandoned village of Luetzerath, required for the expansion of the Garzweiler 2 mine.

Though condemned and owned by the mine, Luetzerath has recently become an ecosocialist squat for leftist militants and climate extremists.

Leftist extremists from the condemned village can be seen here attacking journalists:

\u201cAt the autonomous zone in #Luetzerath, Germany by militant leftists, #Antifa & climate extremists, Antifa surrounded and attacked journalists. The violent occupation has been praised by leftists & Greta Thunberg for stopping a coal mine expansion.\u201d
— Andy Ng\u00f4 \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 (@Andy Ng\u00f4 \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08) 1673762169

Police, who had been trying to prevent protesters from getting injured in the open-pit mine, were reportedly pelted with incendiary devices. Over 70 officers were injured.

Climate alarmists and other anti-labor protesters also reportedly damaged police patrol cars.

Reuters initially reported that Greta Thunberg, who had trespassed to as far as the edge of the mine, had been arrested.

Police told Reuters that "Greta Thunberg was part of a group of activists who rushed towards the ledge [of the mine]. However, she was then stopped and carried by us with this group out of the immediate danger area to establish their identity."

After police rescued the dramatist's daughter, Thunberg was reportedly "held by one arm at a spot further away from the edge of the mine where she was previously sat with the group."

Thunberg, ostensibly wearing a jacket and bag made with petroleum products, told the Associated Press that "what everyone does matters. ... And if one of the largest polluters, like Germany, and one of the biggest historical emitters of CO2 is doing something like this, then of course it affects more or less everyone — especially those most bearing the brunt of the climate crisis."

Some of Thunberg's fans saw the initial images, apparently believing that she had been arrested doing something that mattered.

NASA climate scientist Peter Kalmus tweeted, "Greta's first arrest. It's time for many more of us to stand up and risk arrest for the sake of a livable planet. It will turn the tide."

Climate activist Mike Hudema tweeted with similar urgency, "Greta Thunberg has been detained in Germany for protesting the expantion [sic] of a coal mine despite the government claiming it will exit coal by 2030. The coal expansion betrays 'present and future generations.' There is no time to wait."

\u201cGreta Thunberg has been detained in Germany for protesting the expantion of a coal mine despite the government claiming it will exit coal by 2030. \n\nThe coal expansion betrays "present and future generations."\n\nThere is no time to wait. #ActOnClimate \n#IStandwithGreta #L\u00fctzerath\u201d
— Mike Hudema (@Mike Hudema) 1673985657

Frown for the cameras

The Guardian reported that, contrary to previous claims, Thunberg was briefly detained, not arrested.

The Hill noted that Thunberg, who had been trespassing, was simply escorted along with other climate alarmists away from the coal mine site on private property.

Snopes all but conceded it was nothing more than a photo op, writing that "activists often plan such sit-ins and protests as media events to publicize their cause, in full knowledge that police and media will be present — which is to say that they are, in a sense, 'staged.'"

A video has emerged of Thunberg chuckling away with her supposed captors.

The footage shows Thunberg and her police escorts striking different poses for the cameramen and videographers in their orbit, laughing sporadically.

After the photo op, the police escorted the Swedish trespasser off the private property.

\u201cYes, the Greta Thunberg arrest was staged for the establishment media.\u201d
— Catch Up (@Catch Up) 1673993443

Sky News host Chris Kenny said the photo op was "Just farcical, isn’t it? Deceptive too – it’s theatre, climate theatre, and most media just goes along with the charade."

Townhall editor Guy Benson noted that Thunberg's photo op with German police had the "Same energy" as when Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's (D-N.Y.) pretended to be handcuffed when being escorted from a pro-abortion protest at the U.S. Capitol.

\u201cSame energy\u201d
— Guy Benson (@Guy Benson) 1673997674

At the time of the incident, Thunberg said, "Germany is really embarrassing itself right now. ... I think it’s absolutely absurd that this is happening the year 2023."

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'Hysterical' transsexual activists shut down talk by human rights expert about transsexual activists' intolerance



An expert on human rights law was set to speak Tuesday at McGill University about whether transsexuals should be able to legally change their sex and invade women-only spaces when LGBT activists invaded the space, effectively shutting down the event.

Robert Wintemute, a law professor at King's College London, suggested the censorious uproar was "hysterical" and amounted to further evidence that any discussion of the fallout of the transsexual agenda, particularly for women, is increasingly being stifled.

What are the details?

According to the event page, Wintemute was scheduled to give a talk on Jan. 10 entitled, "The Sex vs. Gender (Identity) Debate in the United Kingdom and the Divorce of LGB from T."

"Since 2018, there has been a debate in the United Kingdom about whether or not the law should be changed to make it easier for a transgender individual to change their legal sex from their birth sex, and about exceptional situations, such as women-only spaces and sports, in which the individual’s birth sex should take priority over their gender identity, regardless of their legal sex," said the event posting.

It added, "This debate inspired the foundation in 2019 of an organisation, LGB Alliance, which rejects the political coalition of LGB and T and challenges some transgender demands, on the basis that they conflict with the rights of lesbian and bisexual women or the rights of children who might grow up to be LGB adults."

Wintemute, a McGill alumnus and trustee of the LGB Alliance, was invited to speak on this topic as well as to his record as a human rights and LGB scholar by the university's Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism.

Prof. Frédéric Mégret from the CHRLP suggested there was hope that Wintemute's participation in "critical conversations" about these issues might have been worthwhile.

"We understand that these are not consensual topics. However, we believe they can be productively and robustly discussed in an academic setting and could, in fact, be an opportunity to push back against certain views," said Mégret.

Robust discussion about women's rights on a university campus was apparently too much to bear for some male transsexual activists.

\u201cStudent protesters storm McGill University talk on sex vs. gender, shutting it down.\u201d
— Catch Up (@Catch Up) 1673459265

'Hysterical' mob rule

Canadian state media reported that transsexual activist Celeste Trianon, a biological male, sought to silence Wintemute and shut down the event, claiming the event excluded transsexual people's rights and was altogether "transphobic."

"I feel like there's such a tragic irony where someone who is actively working toward dismantling human rights toward one of the most marginalized groups … how such an event can be hosted at the McGill Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism," said Trianon.

According to Trianon, a student at another Quebec university, it is "close-minded" for anyone to suggest that the conference of "rights to trans women" means "subtracting from the rights" of real women.

Annie Collin, a real woman prevented from hearing Wintemute speak, told the Montreal Gazette that transsexual activists attacked her friend.

"They pushed her. They threw her phone away. They pretend they're being excluded but they're the people who tell people to get out. And they get madder because someone wants to defend women's rights, homosexuals' and bisexuals' rights. What's the problem about that?"

In a Jan. 6 Instagram post, Trianon claimed the event would "contribute directly to the systemic elimination of trans voices and lives worldwide, as well as the dismantling of human rights as a whole."

Trianon further accused the university of "contributing to the genocide of trans people across the world" in Jan. 10 letter co-signed by five professors at other Canadian universities.

The letter contended that "free speech does not mean having to tolerate hate speech."

This sentiment was evidently shared by the protesters, some of whom prejudged Wintemute's unuttered speech in advance as hateful.

Among the signs hoisted above the mob of anti-speech activists was one that read, "No debate."

The activists can be heard in one video chanting, "We are not here for debate, f*** your systems, f*** your hate."

Contrary to the mob's accusations that he harbored hate or irrational fears, Wintemute suggested that he would never have anything to do with a group that "promotes hate," noting he had 37 years of experience defending human rights.

The professor has worked 15 successful cases challenging discrimination against gays, lesbians, and bisexuals in various European and British courts.

Wintemute told CTV News that it is "extremely anti-democratic to interfere with a seminar at a university just because you disagree with the opinions expressed."

"We're supposed to be a democracy with freedom of expression," he said.

Wintemute and the LGB Alliance advocate on behalf of the "many women who are concerned about the presence of male-to-female persons in women-only spaces, which would include changing rooms, prisons, hospital wards, etc.," as well as the real females adversely impacted by the inclusion of men in women's sports.

The event's cancellation served to confirm a trend Wintemute has observed elsewhere.

"I have to thank the protesters for giving me firsthand experience of that intimidation," he said. "Probably the majority of women in this country disagree with some of transgender demands, but they refuse to say so because they will be seen as intolerant."

Trans activists protest speech at McGill youtu.be

Check out 'anti-woke' scene from Cate Blanchett's new movie, in which her character utterly torches cancel culture, identity politics: 'Absolutely based'​



An "anti-woke" scene from "Tár" — a Cate Blanchett movie just released last month — is getting some attention for taking a stand against cancel culture and identity politics.

What's the background?

Written and directed by Todd Field, "Tár" focuses on fictional character Lydia Tár, who's "widely considered one of the greatest living composer-conductors and first-ever female music director of a major German orchestra," IMDB notes.

According to Wired, the scene in question takes place during a conducting class Tár is teaching at Juilliard, during which a student named Max identifies “as a BIPOC pangender person" and finds Johann Sebastian Bach's “misogyny” hard to take.

Sitting at a piano with Max, Tár plays a Bach piece and asks Max for an opinion on it.

"You play really well," Max replies. "But nowadays white, male, cis composers — just not my thing."

Tár shoots back, "Don't be so eager to be offended. The narcissism of small differences leads to the most boring conformity."

When Max admits some admiration for composer Edgard Varèse, Tár stands up and tells Max that "you must be aware that Varèse once famously stated that jazz was a negro product exploited by the Jews. Didn't stop Jerry Goldsmith from ripping him off for his 'Planet of Apes' score. It's kind of a perfect insult, don't you think?"

She pours on more logic, declaring that "if Bach's talent can be reduced to his gender, birth country, religion, sexuality, and so on, then so can yours. Now, some day, Max, when you go out into the world, and you guest conduct for a major or minor orchestra, you may notice that the players have more than light bulbs and music on their stands. They will also have been handed rating sheets — the purpose of which is to rate you. Now, what kind of criteria would you hope that they use to do this? Your score reading and stick technique, or something else?"

Tár then buries Max pretty deep in front of the entire class, asking for a vote from those in the music room on the better approach for such judgment — and Max rises from the piano bench and begins to walk out of the music room, calling Tár a "f***ing bitch."

Without missing a beat, Tár calls Max "a robot" as he continues his journey to the door, adding that "unfortunately, the architect of your soul appears to be social media."

Here's the scene via Catch Up, which calls it "absolutely based." Content warning: Language:

\u201cCate Blanchett takes on critical race theory and gender identity politics in her new role. Absolutely based.\u201d
— Catch Up (@Catch Up) 1668677122

How are folks reacting to the scene?

Former Mumford & Sons banjoist Winston Marshall — who just spoke to TheBlaze's Glenn Beck about why he regrets apologizing to the woke mob — wondered in a tweet, "Has Hollywood gone anti-woke??? I can’t believe what I’ve just seen."

Fox News' Brian Kilmeade said Blanchett "eviscerates woke gender identity politics in captivating scene from her new film Tár. Don't expect this one to get Hollywood praise... it is starting to go viral on the Internet, however."

The Babylon Bee's Joel Berry offered "props to Todd Field for writing this little monologue."

The New Culture Forum from the U.K. tweeted, "3 brilliant minutes. It's hard to believe such a scene was filmed in this day and age. Indeed, we're so familiar with Hollywood's milquetoast wokery, that watching this is a decidedly strange experience."

Jason Howerton, an alum of TheBlaze, said he "never in a million years would have predicted that the most SAVAGE takedown of woke gender/identity politics would come from a Hollywood actress, yet here we are."